Disgusting

People can be so gross. I'm not a fussy person but what happened to me today was so disgusting I just had to tell you about it. I was waiting in line at Publix when the lady behind me sneezed on me! No wait, it gets better. This wasn't a little sneeze. It was an all out achoo, vapor and all. You know how when you're really surprised or grossed out you just kind of freeze for a moment? I'm standing there, trying to figure out if that really just happened, while she's wiping off my arm and apologising. So, so sorry. Yada, yada. Swine flu, yada yada.

Whoa. back up. The snot woman was going on and on explaining how she was getting over the SWINE FLU and she didn't THINK she was contagious anymore. Dis-gus-ting. I mean really?!? You're just going to go out with the swine flu and sneeze on people? You're contaminated! Stay home for goodness sake and keep your germs to yourself! Good grief.

After a shower and about dipping myself in sanitizer I'm posting this to tell you why this may be a big deal for some people. Swine flu makes a healthy person absolutely miserable. It can kill children and people with preexisting conditions. What are those? People with lung, kidney, and heart problems. People with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women. People recovering from illness or injury. People like me. I'm one of the "healthy adults" that qualifies for the H1N1 vaccine. While I'm getting better, I'm not 100% yet. If I get sick with "the swine" I could potentially have a big problem.

See why it's so gross? I know you need groceries to but we have to talk. Stay home! You don't know if the person you just sneezed on is strong enough to fight off the swine flu. For that matter, here are some other tips. Cover your mouth! Didn't your mom teach you anything? Carry hand sanitizer, and use it often. Avoid close contact with people until you're better.

That's not a lot is it? I seriously hope the swine flu lady feels better soon. It's no fun being sick and we've all been there. I just want her to get someone else to pick up her chicken soup. It's an inconvenience, I know, but if you're sick you should really keep your bugs to yourself. If you happen to be one of the "high risk" people that are encouraged to get vaccinated, please do. I know it gets to be pretty miserable being poked and tested but really, what's two more right? Take your shots, get your cartoon band aid, and give yourself more personal space while waiting in line.

Good Read!

I'm reading an amazing book. It's called Take A Load Off Your Heart by Joseph C. Piscatella. One of my favorite parts? Joseph had to have bypass surgery in his early thirties. This guy gets it and really spells out heart disease in an easy way.

This story was the epilogue of his book. It comes from Chicken Soup for the Soul. It's why Joseph writes his books and it's one of the reasons I write this blog. The story is long, so I cut to the chase and gave you the good parts. I hope you still like it.

A man walked down a deserted beach in Mexico. He saw a man walking towards him in the distance. As the man got nearer, he noticed that time and again he bent down, picked something up, and hurled it into the ocean. As the man walked closer still, he noticed the other man was a local native. He was picking up starfish that had washed up on the beach and throwing them back in the water.

The man approached the native and asked what he was doing. The native explained that the starfish had washed up with the tide and if someone didn't throw them back in the water they would die. The man was confused. "There are thousands of starfish on the beach. You can't possibly get to them all. Can't you see that you can't make a difference?"

The native smiled, bent down and picked up yet another starfish, and threw it back into the sea. He replied, "I made a difference to that one!"

This is why Joseph writes his books. If he helps just one person, he's doing a good job. Isn't that great? Oh, and by the way? Joseph is in his 50's now. He's in great shape. That's quite an accomplishment for someone who had two bypasses in his 30's!

My two favorite stories so far.

I'll never understand it but heart patients LOVE to tell you their heart stories. I started this blog out of self defense. I don't like telling my heart story! Once again, I'm the odd duck of my rehab class. Seriously though, what's the deal? It's got to be up there as far a life changing, traumatic events. Who wants to relive that?!? Then again, I'm a girl. Maybe something is lost in translation. Who knows. Here are two of my favorite heart stories. I got a kick out of them anyway!

One of the gentlemen in my class had a heart attack and got an ambulance ride to the hospital. He had to have 2 stents put in. Where did the ambulance pick him up? Hardee's. He was in the drivethru waiting for a thickburger. I kid you not. Dude, you're never going to live that down. Just saying. You had a heart attack at Hardee's!!!

One of my favorite cardiac rehab guys is the luckiest duck I know. Do you think if I stand close enough it will rub off? How lucky is he? He had a motorcycle accident! He got an ambulance ride to the hospital to. There he is all busted up when the doctor makes an interesting discovery. Totally unrelated to the accident, this guy is walking around with an aortic aneurysm!!! For those who don't know this basically means, that part of your heart can bust. Literally bust. My heart buddy was walking around with a bomb in his chest. If the aorta had ruptured, he would have died in minutes. See? Told you he was lucky! Thanks to his motorcycle accident it was discovered and corrected with surgery.

I love these guys. Hours of entertainment every week. It's fun getting to know them. The doctor calls our class the one blossom and 10 possums. Jeez. I'm glad I'm the blossom huh?

What the doctor said...

Well, it's official. I'm going to live. :) Today was my checkup with the cardiologist. All is well! Seems like I'm in good shape! Here's what he said...

The results from my stress test were rockin'! I ran on that treadmill forever! What does this mean? My heart can still work hard if it has to and my new stent is making itself at home. The test proves that it's healing up well. Thank goodness for that! How do you get it OUT if it has an attitude?!?

The grumpy news is that I'm going to have to carry nitroglycerin for a very long time and I'll need to stay on a bunch of medication for the rest of my life. I'll take it folks! It seems my heart has spasms and the arteries get squeezed. Ouch. That's the chest pain I've been feeling. It's called angina and I'll have to get used to it. Nitro does help greatly and with some medication tinkering I'll be fine.

What does this mean? When my chest hurts, I park it until it stops. That's it! I can live with this! With a good diet and if I keep ahead of the heart disease it won't take hold again. It's not a guarantee against another attack, but this REALLY ups my odds. Good, good news. It doesn't get better then that folks. Once you have heart disease you always have it. It's not something you can cure. What this news means is that we've turned the tables. Heart disease doesn't have a death grip on me. I have a death grip on it.

How badly do you want to shave your legs?

Pretty bad. I'm a firm believer in if you look better you feel better. Even when I was in the hospital I wanted two things. My hair straightener and cute pajamas. Silly I know, but I feel a little perkier when I don't look like a sick person. It's a girl thing.

This week I discovered the other downside of Plavix and Aspirin. I nicked my ankle. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal. One hour, several paper towels and band aids, and bleeding through that glue stuff you use to close wounds it started to seem like a pretty big deal to me. By the time I got that itty bitty cut to stop I was seriously considering calling my doctor.

The next day at rehab I discovered something else new. Even itty bitty cuts can reopen and bleed anew. Into your sock. In the middle of your mandatory workout routine. Gross.

Seriously. Gross. The moral of the story is this. If you have to take Plavix and Aspirin listen closely to your doctor. Absolutely no unnecessary surgeries! Don't even get a cavity filled without talking to your cardiologist first. Your doctors can adjust your medication and monitor you closely if you have to have surgery so don't flip if you need something done. If you are unlucky enough to cut yourself, don't panic. The only thing that accomplishes is it makes your heart beat faster and your thinner, non clotting blood just bleeds more. Relax and if it looks deep, go to your doctor's office or the nearest ER. Tell them what medications you're taking and let them fix it.

Easy peasy. Most people only take Plavix for a year or two. We just have to hang in there that long right? No cuts, no dentists, no surgeries. Lots of bruises. It's a small price. Just be careful right?

The Guys

I got lucky with my rehab class. They're a great group of guys. They were my second try and I'm so glad I moved my class time so I could meet them. I moved my time because the first class I picked wasn't a good fit. The members had been there a while and I was the youngest by (seriously) 40 years. Ouch. Now I know it's very rare for a 30 year old to have a heart attack but how was I supposed to relate to a bunch of 70 year olds?

I didn't. The normally cheerful class was silent the whole time. I might as well have been the smelly kid in the playground no one wanted to play with. These guys had a party going in rehab and someone young enough to be their grand kid wasn't invited. I moved my class time that night and called my sister hoping for some sympathy. In that way that only a sister has, she had me laughing about being "unpopular" in rehab. It is pretty funny isn't it? I got booted out of my first class! WHAT the?!?

I showed us for my next class armed with her advice. "You're not there to make friends. Just do what you need to get done and get better!" I was expecting another round of semi hostile geriatrics. What I got was a whole bunch of honorary daddies and granddaddies. I love my new guys.

Once they figured out I had a "reason" to be there I was taken around and introduced to my new crew. They pointed out the repeat offenders (guys going through another round of cardiac rehab after another heart event) and the "pig parts" (the guys with valves replaced with pig valves.) I met guys like me with stents and was proudly shown bypass scars and one new zipper scar. They're boisterous, they're funny, and they were all more then willing to let a "sweetpea" like me tag along.

It's like walking into a new family. One minute you're the odd one out and the next you're fixing their cell phones for them. We trade recipes and horror stories and they show me the music on their iPods. There's always the joke about the fried chicken and pizza that they're going to bring... next week.

These guys make rehab easier. It's hard being in there and learning your limitations. With a fun, supportive group you end up with friendly competition and a better outlook. The guys "get it." They know like no one else does what it's like to have a heart problem. I'm a lucky girl to have found them.

Don't feed the heart patient.

Ever see those signs at the zoo? Don't feed the lions! I need a t shirt that says don't feed the heart patient. Seriously. I do.

I know everyone means well but cardiac rehab patients are put on a very strict diet. The no salt, no fat, lots of whole grains kind of diet. It's designed to help with rapid weight loss and prolong our lives. Everything on the no no list directly relates to heart disease. Now if the cardiac rehab patient you know is sticking to the diet he or she is serious about living a long time. They're doing their part to fight heart disease. Don't try to feed them!!!

It's human nature. When someone gets sick family and friends break out the honey hams and casseroles to drop off with the family. They bring cookies and fudge baked with love and come to visit. Heart patients love the visits. We hate the food. When our diets start to work we're dropping weight. The same concerned family member that brought you the fat loaded tuna casserole will start encouraging you to put "some meat on your bones" and will encourage you to order fattening food at a restaurant.

I know you mean well, but heart patients know what they're doing. They're getting leaner and meaner to fight off heart disease and erode what heart problems that may remain. Cheats and treats are a miserly few and only your heart patient will know when they're due for one. Most times a loved one can do more harm then good.

Did you know chocolate is loaded with caffeine? Caffeine can cause a rapid heartbeat. This means that your heart patient you just brought fudge to knows how dangerous it is. You, unfortunately, do not. We may REALLY love your fudge recipe but we just can't eat it right now. I know you also may consider a "heart healthy" dish. The problem is the ingredients. Cheese, butter, eggs, and red meat can actually sicken someone who's become unused to eating them. Salt is a HUGE problem. Salt can cause heart patients to retain fluid. This may not sound to bad until you consider where it can go... into our lungs and chest cavity.

You're encouraged to not feed the lions at the zoo because what you give them may harm them. Unfortunately, the same rule applies to us. It puts us in a no win situation. If we don't eat it or accept it we risk hurting your feelings. If we do accept and eat it we risk harming ourselves. Can I make a suggestion? Try flowers or reading material when you visit your loved one. My absolute personal favorite is just bring yourself. If you feel like you must do something, make a donation to a heart related charity. I'd be THRILLED if someone donated to my cardiac rehab facility or the American Heart Association. Honestly, there's no greater gift then your love. It's plenty. I promise.

Well THAT'S reassuring!

Want to see what it looks like inside a cardiac rehabilitation gym? Sure you do! Wouldn't you rather see it on a blog then see it for yourself? You reeeeally don't want a membership at this gym. As exhibit A let me introduce you to the thing guaranteed to dampen even the most determined heart patient's spirit.

Tada! The crash cart! It's that blue thing on the left. See what's right next to it? Exhibit B, the scale! Every week you're required to weigh yourself while that crash cart leers at you. On my first day of cardiac rehab the crash cart was proudly pointed out by the staff. They told me it's only been used twice. Wow. Great. Really, thanks.

Now I'm sure twice is probably like almost never. To us heart patients sporting shiny new plastic pieces and pig valves, twice is hardly comforting. Are you seriously going to tell the guy with the pig valve twice? Seriously?!?

It makes no difference really. Everyone in the class has an unspoken agreement to ignore the cart. We give it a wide berth when we walk by and don't even look at it. The whole point of cardiac rehab is to teach us how to live long healthy lives. The guys and I tend to not linger on the thing that most points out our mortality. Working through the rehab is reminder enough.

I don't give that thing a second thought. I have to say though... I get a kick out of seeing visitors reactions to it. Maybe I'll even tell the next one it's only been used twice. :)